A social media post from the group Up Against The Occupation shows a picture of the statue splattered with red paint. The caption reads, "PENN, YOUR HANDS ARE RED."
The caption says the Ben Franklin statue stands "as a symbol of imperial violence and colonialism."
History reflects that Franklin and America’s other founding fathers stood against British colonialism in the Revolutionary War.
He also organized 24 trustees to found the school that eventually became the University of Pennsylvania.
The group says the red paint serves as a visual reminder of the more than 186,000 martyrs and the university's complicity in genocide.
This is the second time the Franklin statue has been vandalized, according to The Daily Pennsylvanian. The first occurrence was during last spring’s pro-Hamas encampment on campus. The encampment lasted 16 days.
Moral bankruptcy on display
Sophia Witt, Executive Vice President of Students Supporting Israel, says the group lacks understanding of Ben Franklin.
“I think it's a visual reminder of disrespect and moral bankruptcy that I think characterizes these extremist groups on campuses. I think that vandalism underscores the lack of integrity and empathy these groups have.”
Witt said she thinks that any group praising this act should be held accountable by the school administration.
"I think that they should take action against these students that are praising these actions, and if anything, just ban them from the registration process at UPenn."
Anti-Israel groups like this have previously claimed that attempts to crack down on protesters, including arrests, have demonstrated a lack of tolerance and suppression of Palestinian voices.
Witt's take on it in this case at UPenn is that desecrating a statue supersedes the idea of free speech.
"That's not free speech, not free expression. Our First Amendment doesn't protect people from destroying other property."
Campus Reform also reports the group Up Against The Occupation additionally criticized the university administration for suppressing the "student intifada". Intifada is defined as campaigns of violence carried out against Israeli citizens.
“The University has tried to suppress the student intifada and has turned a blind eye to the genocide--all in the name of ‘campus safety.’ …” a group statement read. “The education system of Gaza has been systematically destroyed, and the genocide has only expanded.”
